The Mu Rhythm Bluff a novel by Jonathan Mitchell

Friday, April 4, 2008

damn it, Alex, some of us want to be cured

Wrong Planet founder, Alex Plank, was recently interviewed and stated what is the point of view of at least some (if you are reading this Jypsy I am qualifying my statements with some so as not to be misleading) persons with autism spectrum disorders that all or at least most persons with autism do not want to be cured. I am not sure where he gets that number unless it is the relatively small sample of persons who congregate on his web page out of all the autistics in the whole world most of whom are far more severely disabled than probably most of the denizens of wrong planet.net.

Plank, is going to college doing well and has a girfriend. I am 52, never had one, probably never will. I suspect my other problems aside from the girl situation are more severe than his. I must disagree with him. I do want to be cured. I also know of sue rubin, someone who calls herself droopy, tom mckean and others who want to be cured. There are some others who I won't name as they may not want their privacy violated who also want a cure and reject the notion of neurodiversity.

I am quite curious where Plank gets the idea that all or most don't want a cure. Again, I will use the analogy that i used in my article, neurodiversity just say no, of the poller taking a poll in Biloxi, Mississippi and coming to the conclusion that at least 99% of all Americans want John McCain to be president of the United States, want to bring back a military draft, want to outlaw abortion and bring back prayer in the schools. This is the type of reasoning Plank and the other persons who make this claim are using.

One of the sad truths is that most of the autistics who do want a cure have never had an internet blog or have no way of posting on the internet and never will. They don't have the education or functioning level or inclination to write blog posts or post comments on other people's blogs. If Plank thinks that no one on the spectrum will rebut his claims he is sadly mistaken. I am on record of saying I wish there could be a cure for autism. Again, I urge anyone who is proposed by a neurodiversity adherent to just say no to neurodiversity.

In the event that you happen to read this, Alex, perhaps you can tell me where you get your figure of "most" autistics not wanting to be cured. Have you taken any sort of scientific poll of a cross section of autistics. Even if you have. What about all of the autistics who are unable to talk or communicate in any way? How can they tell you, they want a cure? My friend, neuroscientist Matthew Belmonte's brother has a very limited ability to communicate using facilited communcation. He has communicated to Matthew that he does not like his autism and wants to be cured. You have to factor this in also, Alex. I am still waiting to find out where this idea comes from, from at least some persons on the spectrum that most or all don't want a cure.